Delving through the criminal mind with the ERBW

A hard dose of reality was unveiled at this month’s East Rand Business Women’s meeting, which featured forensic criminologist Dr Pixie du Toit.

As usual this month’s guest speaker had all eyes and ears upon her as she gave a fascinating presentation on her experiences throughout her career.

Du Toit, who is also head of the Sinoville Crisis Centre, in Pretoria, specialises in forensic investigations for children.

Her job includes criminal profiling and providing expert evidence in court.

She also provides psychological assistance, particularly to child victims of crime, and does psychiatric evaluations.

She presents evidence on behalf of children in court as, she explained, they are too young to testify for themselves and are often perceived as unreliable witnesses.

However, mostly she represents the state and firmly believes that evidence must be provided in an objective manner.

She shared some abhorrent stories of child- and women abuse, with which she has had to deal, most of which involved sexual offences.

“Some 85 per cent of child rapes are done by family members,” was one of the astonishing facts du Toit revealed about this crime.

An intriguing addition to her talk included methods of profiling, to help bring perpetrators to book.

Among these was generalising, which, she said, involves looking at criminals who have committed similar crimes, to compare their behaviour to that of the suspect.

Other methods she spoke about included characterising and identifying signature habits.

Du Toit said these methods are often combined to evaluate suspects.

She also explained and demonstrated the Rorschach test, in which the subject’s perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analysed, using psychological interpretation.

“Some people reject this test, which also tells us a lot — it is not really a good thing,” she said.

A picture test, using well-researched picture cards, can be used in a similar process.

Du Toit said these tests will also be used on murder-accused Oscar Pistorius during his mental observation at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital.

Her views on psychopaths were informative.

She said a psychopath cannot be cured.

“They cannot stay in prison forever, but have to be managed,” she explained.

These are charming and manipulative people who can fit in anywhere and are generally identified only once they have transgressed the law.

“They have no remorse, no conscience and they are narcissistic,” she described.

She listed a few other forms of evidence which can help to lead to the truth, such as finger prints, DNA samples, facial reconstruction, ballistics and sound reports, trace evidence and polygraphs, which were recently legalised in our country.

The criminologist has also dealt with custody cases, which usually occur when parents are getting a divorce and both want custody of their child.

She later displayed what was called an “alleged sexual assault victim box”.

The box contents include a teddy bear, a book and a colposcope.

Du Toit explained they first do the test on the teddy, so that the child can see it is safe and did not hurt the toy, so will not hurt them.

The tests are then sent to the forensics laboratory, where further attention is given to the matter.

Du Toit was asked if she finds much success with helping children to recover from traumatic experiences.

She confirmed that they do recover if they receive the correct psychological therapy.

“It can actually make the child stronger than what she was before,” she added.

“But they cannot do it alone.”

Du Toit often gives talks at primary and pre-primary schools, to teach children how to say no to things they do not want to have done to them.

The East Rand Business Women meet every second Wednesday of the month, at the Birchwood Hotel, in Boksburg, and the next gathering will feature Angelique du Toit, owner of Annique care products.

For further information, contact Glynis Holdsworth at glynis@incash.co.za or on 082 901 2813, or chairwoman Susan Noppe at noppe@worldonline.co.za.